Music flows through Jennifer Lang’s veins. Whether it was from her family’s aptly named band “The Lang Family” or growing up singing in a church choir, from a very early age Jennifer’s life has been surrounded and shaped by music. She lives it. She breathes it. She channels it. Is it any wonder what career path that the fates led her down?
Jennifer Lang’s album 3 O’clock Saturday is sultry journey into chilltastic realms. Jennifer’s voice is smooth, soulful and above all else extraordinary! At times her voice puts me in mind of Jennifer Hudson. It’s the kind of voice that’s capable of belting out rafter shaking ballads or sweet melodies whispered to the ear.
Jennifer’s style is absolutely rooted in R&B, but with that said a few tracks off of 3 O’clock Saturday have a bit of a new age meets trip-hop vibe about them. These tracks, “Fairy Tales” and “Hey Love” set her apart from all the rest. These are tracks that Jennifer truly hits her stride. This isn’t to say that her soulful R&B tracks are weak–far from it. Tracks like “Keep Your Head Up” and “Betcha Thought” more than prove that she could go toe-to-toe with such artists as Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige and Angie Stone. It’s just that I’ve listened to quite a few chill, trip-hop, downtempo and electronica tracks and I can’t help but wonder what an album Jennifer released of any of these genres would sound like. Wishful thinking? Perhaps…
I suppose if I were to knit-pick, I’d have to say that some of the music (not vocals) seems a bit patchwork. That is to say that in some songs it comes off as a bit over the top or just doesn’t seem to quite sound right. I may be wrong, and it would hardly be the first time, but the music sounds a bit computer generated. I have nothing against computer-generated music when done well, but on some tracks it seems to come off as sounding a little cheap. Tracks like “Ya Keep Sayin’” should have more of an organic feel. I picture this song stripped down to just a drum, bass guitar and that’s it. It should have more of a bluesy atmospheric vibe about it.
The intro track I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand it shows off personality–which I give major props for. On the other hand it sounds a bit hokey. That’s a trap that every intro track of this type falls into, so I can’t really hold that against the album. Put the intro in the plus column!
Jennifer Lang is an amazingly talented singer whose voice will carry her far in the music industry. While her album 3 O’clock Saturday seems to have not reached its full potential, it is an album worth checking out.
Reviewed By Zach Daggy
